


Maestoso Cavatina

by orphan_account



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, captain!akashi, merman!kuroko, mervamp!au, sorry haizaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3717022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Akashi’s crew captured a merman whom they deemed had attacked their ship. The merman is kept in a glass tank as Akashi’s trophy in his basement. To the captain’s surprise, the merman happened to be a witty and intelligent creature. A bond is formed between Akashi and the merman (Kuroko, as Akashi had named it) but there was more to the merman than just his luminescent tail and fins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Puppeteer

The creature lay afloat, unconscious. Akashi took in its features. It had the torso of a man. But its arms had graceful translucent fins and fingers that were defined despite it being slightly webbed. 

The soft-looking blue hair brushed constantly over a flawless face, marked only slightly with gills near its ears. The gills seemed to trail downwards to its neck and nape before disappearing down its spine. 

Its large tail was adorned with beautiful layers of luminescent scales and protruding sharp blades. It was a magnificent creature indeed. One that Akashi would never dream of laying eyes upon on, much less own. 

“Where am I?” questioned the newly awakened merman. His aquamarine eyes did not disappoint Akashi’s expectations. He also caught a glimpse of sharp canines.

Akashi felt pity towards the captured monster in the glass case of his basement. But his curiosity ruled over sympathy when he heard those clear words.

“You speak our language.” Akashi stated.

The merman ignored him and anxiously looked around its new home. He asked again, “Where am I?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

The merman swam experimentally with a straight face, “It’s rude to answer a question with a question.”

Akashi was charmed by the merman’s wit, “Let’s start with a different question then. What is your name?”

“How about you answer my first question, and then I’ll answer yours.”

“You are in my basement. Captured by my crew while we were at sea. You merfolk attacked my ship.”

The merman froze in the tank and looked straight into Akashi’s eyes. 

For a split second, Akashi saw its eyes glow a light shade of blue. It sent a dangerous signal through Akashi’s veins. 

“Oh. I recall that now. Captain Akashi.”

“Amazing memory.”

“We merfolk never forget.”

Akashi smirked, “You do not seem keen on sharing your name. Why is that so?”

“Your human ears would not be able to comprehend our speech.”

“Try me.”

The merman tilted its head with a small smile, accepting the challenge. 2 minutes of horrible screeching and eerie screaming noises later, Akashi was frowning uncomfortably.

“I warned you, captain.”

“I assume there’s a meaning behind that wonderful name of yours.”

The merman casually flipped its tail and floated around the small enclosed space of its tank, “Your assumption is correct.”

“May I know what it is?”

The creature froze again and neared itself to the glass separating them, “Why do you want to know?”

“I may not be as uncivilized as you think I am. I would like to address you properly.”

“Addressing one’s name means to have a degree of respect.”

“You’re not wrong.”

The merman’s eyes softened a little. His voice also lost its threatening undertone, “Puppet as your folks call it. One that is controlled and never given freedom. I am my father’s prince and I will never lose my name because we are immortals.”

‘How cruel.’ Akashi wanted to say. But he knew it was unwise to say so. Instead, he took a different path.

“Would you like to be the puppeteer?”

“What?”

“Kuroko.” 

The merman’s eyes widened. Its webbed hands touched the glass, bringing himself forward to hear better.

“It is from the language of my mother tongue. One who is behind the stage, controlling the play, the storyteller. Kuroko. That is your name.”

“…Kuro..ko..”

“Good.”

Glancing at Akashi’s smug face, the merman retreated from the glass and looked at Akashi from over its shoulder, “I did not subject myself to a new name.”

“Do you not like it? Kuroko?”

“I-…. I will consider it.”

“Thank you.”

After a few more simple questions, Akashi left Kuroko for the night.

“Goodnight Kuroko.”

It was faint, but there was a reply.

“Goodnight..”

There were myths and legends of merfolk being able to bestow others with immortality. There were also rumors that their blood and flesh were toxic to humans. And their singing or even them humming could lure any creature especially men towards them to be eaten or devoured.

So why did Kuroko not try to eat Akashi? He could easily bewitch the captain into the tank with his voice already inviting without even trying. 

Akashi woke up early and went down to the basement to find the merman sleeping like a cat at the furthest corner of its tank. 

“Good morning, Kuroko.”

The merman stirred awake and stretched its arms, “Implications of a good morning does not suit me.”

Akashi could see why because for some odd reason, Kuroko’s hair was… strange and wild.

“Is it possible to get bed hair for mermans?”

“What is…a bed hair?”

“Nevermind.”

Akashi sat on an empty chair and watched the merman raked his hair to normal and swam around to stretch its fins and tails.

“How and why did you learn our language, Kuroko?”

Kuroko almost looked like he was going to ignore the question but he sensed no ill intentions from the captain. If anything, Akashi was genuinely curious. 

“We are one with the sea and clouds. We can see what they see should we choose to. For as long as I can remember, we have been watching you humans from the raindrops that falls from heavy clouds. We learned it out of…instinct.” Kuroko swam sideways, “What about you?”

“Pardon?”

“Why do you sail the sea when you clearly have enough land to explore?”

Akashi entwined his fingers, “Humans are selfish and greedy creatures. I am no different.”

“I see. Why do you still keep me alive, Akashi?”

“The legends say that you can give us immortality. But your flesh is toxic to us. Are those statements true?”

“Yes and no.”

“To which one?”

“Both.”

Talking to Kuroko was not a stroll in the park. All his answers were borderline of vague or truth. After that morning, everything spiraled downwards. 

During the next few days, Akashi tried to convince Kuroko to eat. Kuroko could not specify what his diet consisted of, neither did he answer any of Akashi’s questions. Seaweed, rejected. Feeble sea creatures, untouched. What else was there for a merman to eat in the ocean?

Kuroko fell into a state of depression and quietly curled its body into a ball of scales and fins at the bottom of the tank. It would be a waste for such a beautiful creature to waste away so Akashi thought of alternatives. 

On the fourth day of his hunger strike, Akashi brought back animal meat. Kuroko looked disinterested until he caught the scent of something that made him rose to the surface of the water. The top of the tank was covered with a glass hatch but Kuroko could easily open it. The merman braced its torso over the edge with the help of his arms and peered curiously. 

For the first time, Akashi heard Kuroko’s voice pierce the air without the barrier of water or glass, “What is that?”

“Land animals. Would you like to try one?”

Kuroko nodded curtly.

Akashi leaned a ladder over the tank and carefully brought up a plate of the dead animals. 

Once close enough, Kuroko sniffed the samples on the plate. But his excited eyes immediately disappeared. 

“It’s cold.”

“Is there something wrong with that?”

“It’s cold…” Kuroko repeated futilely before he retreated back into the confines of his small home. 

“Kurok-”

“Oi Akashi!!! Where are you??” shouted a voice from above.

Akashi sighed, “He’s here.”

“Who?”

“A nuisance.”

Akashi climbed down the ladder and put the plate aside. 

“I’ll be right back.”

“Do you want him gone?” Kuroko asked almost too quickly.

The captain stopped in his tracks, “Excuse me?”

“Given the chance you could get rid of him, would you take it?”

Akashi gave the merman a blank stare. The question was as intriguing as Kuroko’s eyes. But the captain left Kuroko without an answer. 

Haizaki was an annoying one. A pest. Boastful and irritating. Even when Akashi spoke to the man, Kuroko’s question replayed over and over in his head. He didn’t even know what he was saying until Haizaki asked him why he was from the basement.

Kuroko’s question echoed loudly in Akashi’s ears.

“Would you like me to show you my latest catch?” 

Knowing that Akashi’s crew traveled into the deepest parts of the ocean, Haizaki agreed to inspect the latest trophy Akashi had caught.

At first look, Kuroko knew why Akashi disliked the person. God the human was loud. And his face clearly showed disregard for Kuroko’s tame demeanor. He knocked on the glass hard, hurting the merman’s sensitive ears. Akashi had never done that because he suspected it would be uncomfortable. 

“Can he do tricks? A flip? Hahahaha!! Hey fish! Say something! Bloop bloop bloop!” Haizaki was holding his stomach from laughter while Akashi watched the scene play out.

“Kuroko.” Akashi called out.

The merman’s glaring face softened when he turned to Akashi. 

“To your previous question, my answer would be yes.” 

Haizaki glanced at Akashi with tears of laughter in his eyes, “What question?”

It went unanswered. Because Akashi only had eyes on the merman as a sweet, calming melody filled the basement. Kuroko was humming while swaying his lithe body and turning with gentle maneuvers of his tail.

Haizaki stared at the merman, his mouth agape. Kuroko’s eyes glowed again as it once did on that first night. 

As much as Akashi was tempted to be nearer to Kuroko, he held himself back. This was not for him. 

Haizaki was captured by the voice, the song and movements of the merman. Almost unconsciously, he walked dazedly and climbed the ladder leading to the glass hatch. 

Kuroko opened it and smiled innocently at the man on the top stair.

It was too quick. Almost too quick for Akashi’s eyes. One moment, they seemed like lovers, lost in each other’s eyes. The next moment, Kuroko’s body lunged outward, grabbing Haizaki by the shoulders and pulling him mercilessly into the confinement of the tank.

The large tail wrapped itself around Haizaki’s struggling body, piercing him with the sharp blades and constricting all further movements.

Kuroko tilted the human’s head roughly, revealing the skin of the neck and collar bone. Kuroko snarled with his canines protruding. He then dug his sharp teeth in the exposed juncture and sucked with a sickening sound; drawing in gulps of blood in seconds.

Haizaki’s scream was lost and muffled in the water.

And it was spectacular.

This was Kuroko’s true nature. A creature that was fearsome yet elegant in its predator mode. Akashi watched as Kuroko wrung Haizaki dry of his blood.

When Kuroko was satisfied, he latched off and licked his bloody teeth lustily. His eyes glowed brightly accompanied by his tail and fins. With his hunger sated, Kuroko’s whole body seemed to light up. His pale skin regained color, his solemn face brightened. And his warm smile maintained despite being in bloody waters. 

Kuroko truly was, the most magnificent creature Akashi had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Akashi is especially OOC because holy shit he just watched someone get sucked dry by a vampire merman and all he could think about was how beautiful and majestic his waifu is goddamnit this was so messed up. But yeah I had fun
> 
> Oh and Kuroko actually saved Akashi when the mermaids attacked his crew. He saved Akashi who fell into the waters but Akashi didn’t know or remember. When Kuroko returned Akashi, he was captured.
> 
> Why does Kuroko not kill Akashi? Because Akashi gave him a name to be proud of. And that means a lot to someone who was called ‘Puppet’ throughout his immortal life before meeting Akashi.


	2. Pastime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an extra fluff drabble~

Kuroko wasn’t sure when Akashi started, but he wasn’t complaining one bit.

For some reason, Akashi often climbed the ladder beside the merman’s tank to sit on the brink of the upper side near the hatch.

Sometimes the human held a cup of coffee. Sometimes he had a healthy snack. Mostly though, he held a book. Different books every time. 

Suspicious of the act, Kuroko refused to join the human through the hatch so the merman ignored Akashi. The human had said nothing. As though his only purpose was simply to enjoy sitting there.

Kuroko’s interest was piqued when he realized each different book had different set of shapes each time. Kuroko had heard plenty of languages throughout his life by watching humans through the rain. Perhaps Akashi knew the languages as well.

Curiosity got the better of him so the merman ended up opening the hatch while Akashi was holding a green hardcover book in one hand.

“How nice of you to join me, Kuroko.”

Kuroko crossed his arms and leaned them over the glass tank to brace himself. Barely any space separated the merman from the human when both were above the tank. 

Once comfortable enough to keep his head and shoulders above the water, Kuroko inquired, “What are you reading?”

“Stories.”

“It’s…different.”

Akashi looked mildly amused, “How so?”

“The characters.”

“Ah.” Akashi closed the book, “It’s in Japanese. My mother tongue.”

“I see.”

It became quiet. But nice quiet. Kuroko missed the silence of the ocean dearly. It was the first time he had came across such serene peace ever since his capture. Akashi’s body heat was calming and nothing disturbed them.

The water in the tank always created rippling noises as it hit each four sides of the glass walls, thus Kuroko was never truly able to meditate or relax as he used to in the ocean.

But when above the tank with the human, all he could hear was….Akashi’s heartbeat. Akashi’s breathing. The paper pages turning. He could get used to their pastime. 

Ever since then, whenever Akashi climbed the tank with a book, Kuroko would meet him there. And they’d let time past like it was nothing. Not many words were exchanged and they were perfectly fine with it that way.

Things escalated when Kuroko started humming.

Cradling his head in his crossed arms, Kuroko’s beautiful hymn affected Akashi in more ways than one.

Unlike when Kuroko lured Haizaki, the merman’s song when with Akashi sounded more like a lullaby. 

And Akashi let him. Because if that was what Kuroko needed, he would allow it. Actually, Akashi quite enjoyed his time with the merman during their little break. 

A good reason was, Kuroko often lulled himself to sleep instead of the song affecting Akashi. So the humming would get softer and softer until it was parted into broken bits of the original tune. In the end, it would be as quiet as it had been before. This was when the merman finally gave in and napped.

Exposing his vulnerable side to Akashi pretty much summed up what their relationship had grown into. The trust that had build up was sturdy enough for Akashi to try something.

He reached his hand out and caressed Kuroko’s blue hair. It was as soft as Akashi had predicted the first time he saw it. 

Kuroko’s eyes shot wide open, Akashi knew. But the merman did nothing about it. Instead, Kuroko seemed to loosen his body more and allowed the contact to continue. Eventually, he dozed off again.

And that was how their little pastime continued. A sweet song during a good read, and the silence afterwards that consisted of only the sound of Akashi’s fingers running through Kuroko’s hair. 


	3. The Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A ficlet on how and why Kuroko rescued Akashi from the deadly mermaids.

“The mermaids are at it again…” Ogiwara sighed.

The prince of the merfolk spun around, “Hm?”

“The rocky waters over the mountains. A ship is stuck there or something. Heard it from the little critters.”

“A ship huh..”

“Wanna go see if they get a kill? Humans are delicious and the mermaids never share.”

The prince smiled at his childhood friend, “Is that an invitation for a hunt?”

Ogiwara shrugged, “I’m not saying it isn’t.”

* * *

Something was…happening. 

He wasn’t sure what but whatever stupid creature that was making that sound better shut the hell up. 

Ogiwara noticed the twitching of his friend’s ears, “You alright? We don’t have to do this you know?”

“I’m fine. I just can’t believe you can’t hear it. It’s really loud.”

“Your senses are better than mine. Royal bloodline and whatnot. Maybe your dad is calling you back.”

“He’d just mind control me if that was the case.”

The prince sighed. He’d been hearing an annoying frequency ever since leaving the confines of his father’s kingdom to visit the mermaids’ newest capture.

They were recently very active. Perhaps the ship had been visiting the shore frequently enough to get the mermaids’ attention.

Ogiwara led them both to the site where the prince could see the mermaids screeching and rocking the ship from beneath it. The humans were screaming and shouting.

But there was one person, whose voice was so clear even from under the murky waters. The prince swam up to the surface. 

He watched the mermaids claw and damage the ship. Uncivilized desperate mermaids were the lowest of class. They were the ones creating bad names for the merfolk. And their screeching, wow. Excessive much?

Above the water, the annoying sound only the prince could hear increased in volume, ten fold. But for some reason…it wasn’t painful anymore. More like, it got better. 

He continued watching. Ogiwara was probably with the mermaids. Humans were delicious after all. Even their blood was a delicacy. 

The ship was rocking from side to side. But that calm man still held on and continued shouting orders and timing gunfires. He was spectacular. Such a strong human. The prince admired powerful humans. Especially those that carried the aura of authority. Because humans were weak. 

Yet those who stand on their feet, could still implant fear in creatures stronger than them.

Suddenly, the ship was pushed with such a powerful intensity that it almost turned 90 degrees. 

The man fell into the waters along while his whole crew held on. 

That was when the frequency in the prince’s head skyrocketed. It vibrated in his body, in his blood, in his soul.

The prince dove underwater where the mermaids hurriedly wanted to devour the fallen human.

But the prince was having none of that. He couldn’t explain it but that human was  _his_. 

The prince braced himself, his gills and fins glowing red, and he  _screamed_. The skies above that particular location turned grey and all the merfolk and sea creatures nearby helplessly shook from their prince’s rage.

The scream tore through their body, controlling them and binding them in his own authority. 

Once they were all affected, the prince waved his arm strictly. They all fled the scene. Even Ogiwara didn’t dare to challenge Kuroko.

The water was calm again soon after, the skies returned blue and the remaining crew noisily questioned what was going on.

Meanwhile, the prince swam leisurely to the unconscious human. He was caught in some seaweed that held him from floating back to the surface.

The closer the prince got, the louder the sound resonated in him. But he didn’t care. Because when he finally took hold of the human, the frequency vanished.

Caressing smooth skin and scarlet hair, the prince imprinted the human’s face into his brain.

‘Akashi’ they had called him. Captain Akashi.

“You’re the one…” whispered the prince. 

He untangled the seaweed and begrudgingly let the human float to the surface. There would be other times for him to meet the human again. He was sure of it. Mother nature would never tear them apart now that they’ve found each other.

The prince was right in some way. Because he was caught almost immediately after returning the captain. The crew had caught him while he was in a daze from having to meet ‘the one’. And obviously, he was reunited with a conscious and vengeful human. Mother nature was cruel sometimes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So remember in the first chap? When I wrote Kuroko's eyes glowed when he remembered Akashi? He wasn't pissed. He just-- remembered that this person is 'the One'.
> 
> Also, he stayed (and liked Akashi more) because the captain gave him the name 'Kuroko'


End file.
